Non-Equity Jeff Award nominations: Theo's ‘Secret Garden' and Kokandy Productions lead the way
The Evanston company also known simply as Theo received 22 nominations for three productions, including 'The Secret Garden' (with 10), 'A Little Night Music' (with 8) and 'Sondheim Tribute Revue' (with 4 nominations across the awards' 23 categories.)
Chicago's Kokandy Productions received 14 nominations, with most going to its holiday production of Sondheim's 'Into the Woods,' which was staged in the basement of the Chopin Theatre (10 nominations).
According to the announcement Thursday by the all-volunteer Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee, Invictus Theatre Company and City Lit Theater Company also earned 12 and 11 nominations, respectively, for multiple productions in the past year.
The Non-Equity Jeff Awards are for the most recent season of theater productions by the Chicago area's non-union theaters. Eligible productions for the 51st annual awards opened between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024, and the nominations cast a wide net, recognizing some 138 artists in shows from 29 companies.
The ceremony for the 51st Anniversary Jeff Awards for Non-Equity Theater will be 7 p.m. March 24 at the Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph St. at Millennium Park; tickets are $73.60, on sale Feb. 17 at www.jeffawards.org
NON-EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES
PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
'Attempts on Her Life' – TUTA Theatre
'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theatre
'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre
'Native Son' – Lifeline Theatre
'Pro-Am' – First Floor Theater
'Topdog/Underdog' – Invictus Theatre Company
PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL OR REVUE
'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company
'Sondheim Tribute Revue' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
ENSEMBLE OF A PLAY
'Attempts on Her Life' – TUTA Theatre
'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theatre
'Dogs' – Red Theater
'Pro-Am' – First Floor Theater
'The Singularity Play' – Jackalope Theatre Company
ENSEMBLE OF A MUSICAL OR REVUE
'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
'Alice by Heart' – Kokandy Productions
'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
'Sondheim Tribute Revue' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
NEW WORK
Brynne Frauenhoffer – 'Pro-Am' – First Floor Theater
Erik Gernand – 'The Totality of All Things' – Redtwist Theatre
George Howe and William Massolia – 'The House Without a Christmas Tree' – Griffin Theatre Company
Hanna Kime – 'Dogs' – Red Theater
Mark Pracht – 'The House of Ideas' – City Lit Theatre
Jay Stull – 'The Singularity Play' – Jackalope Theatre Company
Loy A. Webb – 'Judy's Life's Work' – Definition Theatre
Laura Winters – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre
DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Aaron Reese Boseman – 'Topdog/Underdog' – Invictus Theatre Company
Manny Buckley – 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theatre
Aileen Wen McGroddy – 'Attempts on Her Life' – TUTA Theatre
Max Truax – 'Mother Courage and Her Children' – Trap Door Theatre
Georgette Verdin – 'The Singularity Play' – Jackalope Theatre Company
Rebecca Willingham – 'Pro-Am' – First Floor Theater
DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Fred Anzevino – 'Sondheim Tribute Revue' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Danny Kapinos – 'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company
Christopher Pazdernik – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
L. Walter Stearns – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Derek Van Barham – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
Derek Van Barham and Brittney Brown – 'Alice by Heart' – Kokandy Productions
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (PLAY)
Bide Akande (Berenger) – 'Rhinoceros' – Theatre Y
Mikha'el Amin (Lincoln) – 'Topdog/Underdog' – Invictus Theatre Company
DeMorris Burrows (Booth) – 'Topdog/Underdog' – Invictus Theatre Company
Holly Cerney (Mother Courage) – 'Mother Courage and Her Children' – Trap Door Theatre
Peter Ferneding (Ned Weeks) – 'The Normal Heart' – Redtwist Theatre
Jacqueline Grandt (Judith) – 'The Totality of All Things' – Redtwist Theatre
Tamarus Harvell (Bigger) – 'Native Son' – Lifeline Theatre
Claudia Quesada (Alba Guerrero) – 'An Educated Guess'– Definition Theatre
Ana Santos (Electra Casados) – 'Adverses' – Aguijón Theater Company
Katherine Schwartz (Agnes Eggling) – 'A Bright Room Called Day' – Blank Theatre Company
James Sparling (Thomas Becket) – 'Murder in the Cathedral' – City Lit Theater Company
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (MUSICAL)
Patrick Byrnes (Frederik Egerman) – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Caitlyn Cerza (Alice) – 'Alice by Heart' – Kokandy Productions
Joryhebel Ginorio (Mary Lennox) – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Madison Kauffman (Cinderella) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
Will Koski (Lord Archibald Craven) – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Julia Limoncelli (Addie Mill) – 'The House Without a Christmas Tree' – Griffin Theatre Company
Tyler Anthony Smith (Hedwig) – 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' – Haven Theatre
Colette Todd (Desiree Armfeldt) – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Karylin Veres (Lily Garland) – 'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company
Kevin Webb (Baker) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (PLAY)
Cereyna Jade Bougouneau (Charli) – 'Judy's Life's Work' – Definition Theatre
Grant Carriker (Gregor Bazwald) – 'A Bright Room Called Day' – Blank Theatre Company
Kason Chesky (Micah) – 'The Totality of All Things' – Redtwist Theatre
Callahan Romen Crnich (Hal) – 'Proof' – BlueBird Arts
Justice Ford (Lotte/Carmen) – 'By the Way, Meet Vera Stark' – The Artistic Home
Jodi Gage (Actor 1) – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company
Robert Howard (Hedley) – 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theater Company
Zachary Linnert (Felix Turner) – 'The Normal Heart' – Redtwist Theatre
Stephanie Shum (Two) – 'Dogs' – Red Theater
Jarvell Williams (Canewell) – 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theater Company
Michael B. Woods (Macduff) – 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' – Invictus Theatre Company
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (MUSICAL)
Lexi Alioto (Susan) – '[Title of Show]' – PrideArts
Alicia Berneche (Letitia Peabody Primrose) – 'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company
August Forman (Narrator/Mysterious Man) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
Shea Hopkins (Cinderella's Prince, Wolf) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
Dakota Hughes (Martha Sowerby) – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Brennan Martinez (Lily Craven) – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Shannon McEldowney (Heidi) – '[Title of Show]' – PrideArts
Maya Rowe (Charlotte Malcolm) – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Anne Sheridan Smith (Beverly) – 'The Mad Ones' – Blank Theatre Company
Kevin Webb (Carl–Magnus Malcolm) – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
PRODUCTION (SHORT RUN)
'Cock' – Open Space Arts
'The Drowsy Chaperone' – Surging Films and Theatrics
'The Language Archive' – Edge of the Wood Theatre
'Light Switch' – Open Space Arts
'Pilot Island and Her Keepers' – The Impostors Theatre Co.
'The Smuggler' – Jackalope Theatre Company
DIRECTOR (SHORT RUN)
Michael D. Graham – 'Light Switch' – Open Space Arts
Stacey Lind – 'The Language Archive' – Edge of the Wood Theatre
Billy Surges – 'The Drowsy Chaperone' – Surging Films and Theatrics
Iraida Tapias – 'The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon' – Water People Theatre
Wren Wesner – 'Cock' – Open Space Arts
PERFORMER IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE (SHORT RUN)
Rebeca Alemán (Paulina) – 'The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon' – Water People Theatre
Seth E. Harman (Man in Chair) – 'The Drowsy Chaperone' – Surging Films and Theatrics
Philip Andrew Monnett (Henry) – 'Light Switch' – Open Space Arts
Mafer Roussell (Helen of Troy) – 'Juicio a Una Zorra' – Repertorio Latino Theater Company
Andrew Burden Swanson (Tim Finnegan) – 'The Smuggler' – Jackalope Theatre Company
Phil Timberlake (Jacob Marley) – 'Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol' – Lifeline Theatre
PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (SHORT RUN)
Jeff Broitman (Resten) – 'The Language Archive' – Edge of the Wood Theatre
Yahdina U–Deen (Grandma Betty) – 'Beneath the Willow Tree' – Pulse Theatre Company
Sonya Robinson (W) – 'Cock' – Open Space Arts
Ellen Shaw (Emma) – 'The Language Archive' – Edge of the Wood Theatre
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION (SHORT RUN)
Dominick Alesia (original music) – 'Pilot Island and Her Keepers' – The Imposters Theatre Co.
Diane Fairchild (lighting design) – 'Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol' – Lifeline Theatre
Madeline Felauer (costume design) – 'The Golden Girls Meet the Skooby Don't Gang: The Mystery of the Haunted Bush' – Hell in a Handbag Productions
Tim Huggenberger (choreography) – 'The Drowsy Chaperone' – Surging Films and Theatrics
Stefan Roseen (sound design) – 'Pilot Island and Her Keepers' – The Imposters Theatre Co.
SCENIC DESIGN
Rose Johnson – 'Bottle Fly' – Redtwist Theatre
Manuel Ortiz – 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' – Invictus Theatre Company
Samantha Anna Rausch – 'Proof'– BlueBird Arts
Kevin Rolfs – 'Network' – Invictus Theatre Company
Kevin Rolfs – 'Topdog/Underdog' – Invictus Theatre Company
Marvin Tate – 'Rhinoceros' – Theatre Y
COSTUME DESIGN
Gregory Graham – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company
Rachel Lambert – 'By the Way, Meet Vera Stark' – The Artistic Home
Lucy Elkin – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Rachel S. Parent – 'August Wilson's Seven Guitars' – City Lit Theater Company
Patti Roeder – 'Murder in the Cathedral' – City Lit Theater Company
SOUND DESIGN
Ethan Korvne – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company
Christopher Kriz – 'The Singularity Play' – Jackalope Theatre Company
L.J. Luthringer – 'The Tempest' – Idle Muse Theatre Company
Kimberly A. Sutton – 'Rhinoceros' – Theatre Y
Petter Wahlbäck – 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' – Invictus Theatre Company
LIGHTING DESIGN
Garrett Bell – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company
Keith Parham – 'Attempts on Her Life' – TUTA Theatre
G 'Max' Maxin IV – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
Hannah Wien – 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' – Invictus Theatre Company
Levi J. Wilkins – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
PROJECTION DESIGN
DJ Douglass – 'Network' – Invictus Theatre Company
Abboye Lawrence – 'Coronation' – Refracted Theatre Company
G. 'Max' Maxin IV – 'The House of Ideas' – City Lit Theater Company
MUSIC DIRECTION
Carolyn Brady – 'Sondheim Tribute Review' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Carolyn Brady – 'The Secret Garden' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Eugene Dizon – 'A Little Night Music' – Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
Heidi Joosten – 'Alice by Heart' – Kokandy Productions
Aaron Kaplan – 'On the Twentieth Century' – Blank Theatre Company
Nick Sula – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
ARTISTIC SPECIALIZATION
Violent Delights (Amber Wuttke & Jay Donley) (fight choreography) – 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' – Invictus Theatre Company
Jillian Leff (fight choreography) – 'Die Hard 4 Your Luv' – Factory Theater
Ariana Miles, Evelyn Ryan and Nick Sula (orchestrations) – 'Into the Woods' – Kokandy Productions
Philip Seward (original music) – 'Murder in the Cathedral' – City Lit Theater Company
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
Bills Star Josh Allen Offers Unforgettable Ryder Cup Gift to Special Olympics Athlete
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. When it comes to unforgettable sports moments, it's not always about the scoreboard. On Thursday, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen delivered one of the most heartwarming gestures of the NFL preseason by gifting not one but two Ryder Cup tickets to Nathan Forrestel, a Special Olympics athlete and golf influencer with cerebral palsy. KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 26: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills on the sideline during the national anthem prior to the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at... KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 26: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills on the sideline during the national anthem prior to the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images) More Getty Images The surprise came on the final day of Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, New York. Forrestel, known to his 45,000 Instagram followers as @natethegolfguy, was standing near the sideline when Allen approached him with a question. "Hey, I've got a question for you. I've got two tickets to the Ryder Cup. They're yours if you want them. Are you up for that?" he asked the superfan. Forrestel's reaction was pure joy. He shouted "Yes! Yes! Yes!" before embracing Allen in a moment that quickly went viral across social media platforms. Josh Allen gifted this fan Nate, a golfer with cerebral palsy, two tickets to the upcoming Ryder Cup. Incredibly wholesome. — Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) August 7, 2025 The 2025 Ryder Cup, set to take place in late September at Bethpage Black Golf Course, is one of the most anticipated events in golf. Tickets have been nearly impossible to come by, with the international showdown in less than 50 days now. But Allen, who had access through the Bills organization, saw an opportunity to share the experience with someone who truly loves the game. "I know the Bills have had them for a while; obviously, it's in New York this year," Allen told reporters after practice, as quoted by the Democrat and Chronicle. "Obviously it's in New York this year, so why not have the only New York (NFL) team send some of our Bills Mafia fans over there?" Forrestel, 25, was born with cerebral palsy and has used golf as a way to inspire others and bring humor to his life. His Instagram bio reads, "I'm Nate I am a golfer with cerebral palsy! I create golf and comedy content! I want to inspire people and make people laugh!!!" Allen had previously signed Forrestel's jersey earlier in camp, and the two shared a lighthearted exchange about their golf games. The pro has also swung clubs in tournaments like the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, gifted custom clubs to teammates, and even visited Augusta National. Though he won't attend the Ryder Cup himself due to the Bills' schedule, Forrestel will be there cheering on Team USA. More Golf: Collin Morikawa Makes Yet Another Caddie Change Ahead of FedEx Cup Playoffs
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Ashley McBryde to open non-alcoholic bar inside Eric Church's Chiefs on Broadway
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Country music star Ashley McBryde is opening a non-alcoholic bar inside of Eric Church's Chiefs on Broadway in downtown Nashville. Redemption Bar will be on the fifth floor of the venue and is inspired by McBryde's journey to sobriety. It will feature a zero-proof cocktail menu with each drink named after lyrics that helped carry McBryde forward. Spring Hill honors Black history with bust at Rippa Villa 'When the opportunity to make my mark on Broadway came, I knew I wanted to create a space that champions what's made a difference in my life; a space that lifts up the brushed aside, and makes sure everyone feels welcome,' explained McBryde in a release. Redemption Bar will be a welcoming space that honors authenticity, connection and original songwriting. 'As someone who is three years sober, the typical response to 'do you have anything Non-Alcoholic?' is either 'why did you come to a bar if you aren't gonna drink?' or 'you can have soda water and a lime I guess.' Some of my favorite places to socialize became wildly unaccommodating when the only thing that changed was what was in my cup…It was vital that I create a space where not drinking is the forethought – normalized. You can get alcohol drinks in Redemption too, because everyone is welcome.' Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More From the music to the menu, Redemption Bar hopes to reimagine what a night on Broadway can look like. Redemption Bar will open on Thursday, Aug. 28 inside Chief's at the corner of Second Avenue and Broadway. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Marshawn Lynch stiff arms player to protect his camera during Seahawks preseason game in wild scene
Marshawn Lynch made a career out of protecting the football, but these days he's protecting the camera. The retired All-Pro running back is now a credentialed NFL photographer, and he put his patented stiff arm to use in Thursday night's preseason game in Seattle between the Seahawks and Raiders. When Seattle running back George Holani tumbled into the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown, he accidentally backed into Lynch, who stuck out his elbow to keep his camera safe. Lynch, who played with both the Seahawks and Raiders in his 12-year NFL career, last appeared in a game in 2019. Since his retirement, he's gotten involved in sports ownership – with stakes in both the USL Championship's Oakland Roots SC and the Seattle Kraken – and he's also invested in a cannabis brand and a holoportation startup. 3 Marshawn Lynch stiff-armed the Seahawks' George Holani while photographing Thursday's preseason game. @SamMonsonNFL/X Photography appears to be a new hobby for the 39-year-old, but perhaps the 2014 Super Bowl champion was inspired by fellow Seattle sports legends Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson, who have both transitioned from MLB stars to sports photography after their respective retirements. Lynch, known by NFL fans as 'Beast Mode,' was a dominant force in his prime, which he mostly spent with the Seahawks in the mid-2010s. 3 Another angle of Lynch's stiff arm. @ESPN/Instagram 3 Marshawn Lynch taking a photo at Thursday's Seahawks-Raiders preseason game. AP The Oakland native arrived in Seattle in 2010, and made four consecutive Pro-Bowl appearances with the team from 2011-14. At the time, the Seahawks had Russell Wilson under center, their dominant 'Legion of Boom' defense and current Raiders coach Pete Carroll manning the sidelines. In his career, Lynch rushed for more than 10,000 total yards and for 85 touchdowns, including six seasons with 1,000-plus rushing yards. The clip of Lynch and his camera set social media abuzz Thursday night, prompting plenty of jokes about the running back's new talent. 'Bro went from beast mode to portrait mode,' joked one commenter on Instagram. Another quipped, 'When you start applying to random jobs on Indeed.' 'That muscle memory came in clutch,' said a third. 'Never change Beast Mode.'
